Welcoming Ambassador Prof. Dr. Blerim Reka to USFSP

In addition to the Signing Ceremony, for the Memorandum of Understanding between SEEU and USFSP   (See https://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/07/signing-ceremony-seeu-usfsp-memorandum.html

and see also  http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/06/article-matthew-cimitile-usf-st.html

Prof. Reka delivered a guest lecture in my US Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights class -- see http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/07/ambassador-prof-dr-blerim-reka-visits.html


(This is the class that partnered with his law students at SEEU in Skopje on research projects comparing and contrasting decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and the European Court of Human Rights, see  http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/07/usfsp-seeu-joint-presentation-at.html

(See also this blog for more about the project-- https://comparativelegalresearch.blogspot.com/

Prof. Reka also delivered a public lecture:  "Geopolitics of the Balkans: Between the West and Russia."  See http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/07/ambassador-prof-dr-blerim-reka-public.html

Below are more pictures from his productive campus visit:

SEEU at USFSP!

Touring the Campus

Prof. Reka donated some books and materials from SEEU for Poynter Library's Special Collections

Meeting with the Dean of the Poynter Library, Catherine Cardwell

also in Special Collections -- my book about Congressional Participation before the US Supreme Court as Amicus Curiae

USFSP Chancellor Martin Tadlock, USFSP Director of Global Initiatives Wendy Baker, Prof. Reka and I enjoyed dinner at one of my favorite spots -- the Don Cesar

meeting with Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Dr. Funke Fontenot

meeting with Vice Chancellor Fontenot

Balkan Insight Article: Macedonians Celebrate NATO Invitation

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonia-celebrates-nato-membership-offer-07-15-2018

Thousands of Macedonians celebrated on Saturday night after NATO invited Macedonia to start accession talks and become the Western alliance’s 30th member.

by Sinisa Jakov Marusic BIRN Skopje  

Government-organized concerts were held in 15 towns across the country, including the capital Skopje, where predominantly domestic bands and artists entertained the public.
“Macedonia has a reason to celebrate. We are accomplishing our joint dreams and hopes,” Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told media as the events were kicking off.

Despite the overall celebratory mood, a group of activists protested against NATO at the Skopje concert.

The Western alliance formally extended an invitation for Macedonia to start accession talks on Wednesday, at the opening of the two-day NATO Summit in Brussels.

However, Macedonia will only take its place in NATO once all of the procedures about the recently agreed name deal with neighbouring Greece are implemented.

This includes changing the country’s name to the Republic of North Macedonia, after which the country will take its place in the Western alliance.

The fate of the “name” deal rests on the outcome of a referendum in Macedonia slated for early September or late October, when it must receive support from a majority of citizens.

While Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is optimistic that most people will support a deal that also unlocks the country’s stalled Euro-Atlantic integration bids, the country’s main opposition VMRO DPMNE party has called for an anti-government protest on Sunday.

The opposition strongly opposes the name agreement, deeming it a capitulation, but critics say it has not offered an alternative way for the country to achieve its strategic goals of joining NATO and EU.

Macedonians celebrate the invitation to join NATO at an event in Skopje. Photo: EPA-EFE/Nake Batev

Macedonians celebrate the invitation to join NATO at an event in Ohrid. Photo: MIA

Macedonians celebrate the invitation to join NATO at an event in Skopje. Photo: MIA

Macedonians celebrate the invitation to join NATO at an event in Skopje. Photo: MIA

Activists protest against NATO as Macedonians celebrate the invitation to join NATO at an event in Skopje. Photo: EPA-EFE/Nake Batev

Ambassador Prof. Dr. Blerim Reka Public Lecture at USFSP: "Geopolitics of the Balkans: Between the West and Russia"

It was a privilege to introduce Amb. Prof. Dr. Reka to our campus at the public lecture

 We were honored to have Prof. Blerim Reka of SEEU deliver a public lecture when he was on campus for the Signing Ceremony of the MOU between SEEU and USFSP:

Geopolitics of the Balkans: Between the West and Russia

(for more see https://www.usfsp.edu/home/2018/03/26/geopolitics-of-the-balkans/ )


This event also provided a second opportunity for students in my Constitutional Law class - who had partnered with his students at SEEU - to share their research posters (comparing and contrasting decisions of  the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of the United States on similar legal questions).

Students were able to share their research posters with Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Funke Fontenot (also a legal scholar).  Here is Erica Rodriguez with her award-winning poster about access to abortion

and I was able to introduce my Constitutional Law students to Judge Raymond Gross, who attended the lecture

3 of the research posters were awarded certificates at the USFSP Student Research Symposium -- here is Adam Rubin,with his poster about age discrimination

USFSP-SEEU Joint Presentation at Undergraduate Research Symposium at USFSP - American Corner Skopje

On April 17, USFSP hosted its 15th Annual Student Research Symposium, co-sponsored by the USFSP Office of Research, USFSP Honors Program, and the USFSP Department of Psychology.

Students in my USFSP US Constitutional Law 2: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties class presented their research posters in person -- joined by their colleagues at SEEU who participated in the research conference via Skype, joining us from the US Embassy's American Corner in Skopje.

We had a big screen set up at the end of our row in the University Student Center Ballroom -- but ended up using my laptop so that we could travel from poster to poster with our colleagues who were with us from Skopje.

More about the specific research projects on my Comparative Legal Research Blog. For now, let me just say that I was especially proud of the 3 groups that were awarded certificates for their outstanding research posters:

"Reproductive Freedom and Access to Abortion under the ECHR and the Bill of Rights," by Annie Filkowski and Erica Rodriguez (USFSP) in cooperation with Rea Purini (SEEU)

"Euthanasia and the ECHR and the Bill of Rights," by Sabrina Leavell (USFSP) in cooperation with Ajnur Bekiri and Kushtrim Darlista (SEEU)

"Age Discrimination and the ECHR and the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause: How the West Protects its Elders," by Adam Rubin (USFSP)

Also joining us were the students in my Women and the Law class -- who had a 2nd opportunity to present their research posters. The first time was at our International Women's Day event with guest speaker from UKIM in Skopje -- Prof. Karolina Ristova-Aasterud. See this post for more about those research posters: http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/04/usfsp-womens-herstory-month-event_5.html

For more about the American Corner in Skopje, see https://mk.usembassy.gov/education-culture/american-corner-skopje/

For more about SEEU, see https://www.seeu.edu.mk/

Group picture -- with USFSP and SEEU students (on my laptop)

Students also had the opportunity to share their research findings with our USFSP Chancellor, Dr. Martin Tadlock

Thanks so much Krenar, for all your help with the arrangements at American Corner Skopje!! (pictured on my laptop screen)